Young Russians target Putin with rap

Moscow: Young Russians who feel the state is stifling their artistic freedom, are using rap music to get their message across.

Russian rap is less about girls and guns, and more about social conscience. Songs tackle hard-hitting subjects like drug addiction and politics.

Songs against the police are a big hit with the audience because young people see it as a corrupt authority.

"We lost our freedom, freedom of words, freedom to express our emotions, freedom of choice," said a Russian youth.

Noize MC, a rapper from Moscow, was put in jail for ten days for his song critisising the police, but he hit back writing and recording a track about his experience from his jail cell, with a video showing violent images highlighting police brutality.

So far, it's had over a million hits on YouTube.

"Young people growing up, they listen to music and they believe you and they are the people who will build this country later," said Noize MC.

Even Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has hailed rap's social importance, though he may not always be so happy with the issues it tackles.